Various devices may produce heat during their operation. Such devices include engines, power electronics, video displays, electric motors, and various other heat generating devices. Typically such waste heat from such devices would be considered low grade heat and would not be recycled or gathered for generating additional electrical power.
However, low grade heat has received attention due to its ability to generate additional electrical power using a carbon neutral production system. Various prior art technologies including thermoelectric type systems have been utilized in prior art for conversion of thermal energy directly into electrical energy. However, such systems are expensive and lack a high capacity for energy storage.
Motor vehicles include various heat sources such as from various powered electronics, heat generated from an internal combustion engine, various power control units for a hybrid vehicle, electric motors, as well as heat from various electronic devices associated with a vehicle. Often such waste heat must be dispersed such as through a radiator or heat sink to allow efficient operation of the various components. It is therefore desirable to harvest such waste heat and provide cooling to the various components while generating electrical power that may be utilized to power various systems within the vehicle. There is therefore a need in the art for an improved electrical energy production system that generates electrical energy from waste heat and provides a cooling or heat transfer from various components generating such heat.